Ford F-100 Patch - Remedies For Rot

One of the favorites of Custom Classic Trucks fans is the ’56-F-100. With their wrap-around windshield and clean overall look, the styling has stood the test of time. Unfortunately time is often unkind in other areas and as a result it’s not unusual for the elements to have eaten away the once pristine sheetmetal.

At one time finding a solid F-100 was relatively easy, after all, Ford built over 160,000 of them in various configurations. But it has been 56 years since ’56 pickups rolled off the assembly line, so today many builders are saving trucks that they wouldn’t have looked at twice in the not too distant past, but now bringing one back to life has never been easier. A case in point is shown here.

2/27<strong>01. </strong>Jake Brazille takes inventory of the LMC repair panels that we’ll use to bring the forlorn F-100 back to its former glory. And yes, that is a big window conversion kit, but there are a few other things to be done first.

Jake Brazille, of Jake’s Place in Florence, Oregon, came across an F-100 that could be charitably described as rough. The inner and outer rear corners, doorsills, lower cowl panels, lower hinge pockets, and portions of the floor were all riddled with rust. At one time that much damage would have relegated any cab in this condition to crusher status, but thanks to LMC’s assortment of correctly contoured patch panels they can get a reprieve and escape the scrapheap.

In this particular case the truck was disassembled, so to make repairs easier some were done with the cab on its back (and as a result some of the photos may seem to be turned). However, in most cases repairs can be mounted with the cab on the chassis. In any case, the real secrets to successfully installing patch panels are to cut carefully so the replacement pieces fit properly, solidly clamp the panels in place to keep them aligned and use plenty of tack welds and proceed slowly so as not to warp the metal.

Follow along as we give a rusty Ford a new life with a variety of patch panels, then stick around to see how we turn a standard cab into a custom with a big window conversion.

3/27<strong>02. </strong> This cab is in rough, but redeemable, shape. The hinge and latch posts, sills, and cab corners will all be replaced. To make repairs easier it was placed on its back.